Camilla to officially open Wiltshire's revamped County Hall

The Duchess of Cornwall will formally open Wiltshire Council’s award-winning refurbished County Hall when she visits Trowbridge on June 23.

Camilla will spend an hour touring County Hall, before unveiling a plaque in the Atrium to commemorate her visit and to officially open the refurbished building.

During the tour, she will meet Wiltshire Council staff, view the open plan working and community environment and take part in a children’s rhymetime session in the new Trowbridge Library.

Leader of Wiltshire Council, Jane Scott, who will host the Duchess throughout her visit, said: “We are delighted and honoured that The Duchess of Cornwall has kindly agreed to formally open the refurbished County Hall.

"I’m looking forward to showing her round the building and the new multi-area shared hub and introducing her to staff and customers.

“The new County Hall is part of the council’s vision to make better use of public buildings, making them practical, more efficient and welcoming to local people, not just to access council services but for a wide-range of community activities and events.”

Since 2011, the building has undergone a dramatic change to create a modern, flexible workplace that is easily accessible to customers. In addition, it is an environmentally sustainable facility and now has significantly reduced life-cycle costs.

County Hall is comprised of a 1938 traditional civic building and a 1974 extension, now connected via a state-of-the-art glass-fronted atrium, which hosts a public restaurant and café, registration service and new library.

The refurbishment is part of the council’s transformation programme to reduce the number of buildings from 95 to three main hubs.

The council says the programme will save more than £85 million over the next 20 years and annual running costs of £5 million each year, while also creating an environment for staff to work more flexibly.

Refurbishment work was completed in late 2013 and the building has already won several prestigious awards:

Can we have an accurate description of this opening? The headline and introductory paragraph tell us that it is being 'officially' opened while the article goes on to quote Mrs Scott describig it as being 'informally' opened.
In any case how many opening ceremonies does a building require?.
According to WT records this revamped building was 'officially' opened 18 months ago on 1 November 2012.
I am with Terry Chivers. This is a total WOFTAM! Don't do it Camilla.

Can we have an accurate description of this opening? The headline and introductory paragraph tell us that it is being 'officially' opened while the article goes on to quote Mrs Scott describig it as being 'informally' opened.
In any case how many opening ceremonies does a building require?.
According to WT records this revamped building was 'officially' opened 18 months ago on 1 November 2012.
I am with Terry Chivers. This is a total WOFTAM! Don't do it Camilla.beetawix

So that is the reason why the grass in front of County Hall was being cut and manicured regularly for weeks while the rest of Trowbridge grass was totally neglected. Easy to see the priorities.

Perhaps Camilla could be introduced to all the staff who have been made redundant plus, of course, those who earn more than the Prime Minister.

Remind me to be out of town that day.

So that is the reason why the grass in front of County Hall was being cut and manicured regularly for weeks while the rest of Trowbridge grass was totally neglected. Easy to see the priorities.
Perhaps Camilla could be introduced to all the staff who have been made redundant plus, of course, those who earn more than the Prime Minister.
Remind me to be out of town that day.brandx

brandx suggested
Perhaps Camilla could be introduced to all the staff who have been made redundant

that would be an honourabe thing to do, therefore unlikely.
instead they will not be mentioned

brandx suggested
Perhaps Camilla could be introduced to all the staff who have been made redundant
that would be an honourabe thing to do, therefore unlikely.
instead they will not be mentionedbeetawix

When Wiltshire Council was created it had a number of options available in order to make itself more efficient and save money.
One option, that was never considered, was the closure and sale of County Hall and the retention of the District Council Offices.
That would have saved £25,000,000 directly plus the income generated by the sale of the building and surrounding land.
There would have been no need for new 'campus' developments at significant additional cost. The Council could have met at convenient locations around the County and would have been more open and accessible.
I wonder why it was never considered?

When Wiltshire Council was created it had a number of options available in order to make itself more efficient and save money.
One option, that was never considered, was the closure and sale of County Hall and the retention of the District Council Offices.
That would have saved £25,000,000 directly plus the income generated by the sale of the building and surrounding land.
There would have been no need for new 'campus' developments at significant additional cost. The Council could have met at convenient locations around the County and would have been more open and accessible.
I wonder why it was never considered?googolplex

Wiltshire Council ironically describes us as customers. As a customer I would have a choice and be able to access the services that stupid Jane Scott and her cronies have destroyed, from another provider.
I have no choice, I have to pay for the politically motivated dogmatic stupidity inflicted on us by the worst council in the country.
I am not a bloody customer.

Wiltshire Council ironically describes us as customers. As a customer I would have a choice and be able to access the services that stupid Jane Scott and her cronies have destroyed, from another provider.
I have no choice, I have to pay for the politically motivated dogmatic stupidity inflicted on us by the worst council in the country.
I am not a bloody customer.kimcrawley

If, as reported this is to be a "formal opening" hosted by Cllr. Jane Scott, I hope that the considerable cost will be met by a surcharge on the leader's inflated expenses. The taxpayer should not have to meet the cost of these "junkets" provided and overseen by the privileged few.

If, as reported this is to be a "formal opening" hosted by Cllr. Jane Scott, I hope that the considerable cost will be met by a surcharge on the leader's inflated expenses. The taxpayer should not have to meet the cost of these "junkets" provided and overseen by the privileged few.medievalvillager